Consequences
by MissOriginalVampire
Summary: Jeremy was the only family Elena had left, and nobody, not even the Salvatore brothers, are going to let Katherine get away with what she did. Set straight after 4x14. Katherine to begin with, changing to Klaroline. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone, this is my second story and it's set straight after 4x14. Please read and review! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries. All rights remain with their respected owners.**

Consequences

Chapter 1

Katherine grinned as she stared at the motionless Jeremy. Soon, Silas would rise, and she'd be responsible. Her cold eyes rose to rest upon the box in the immortal's hands. With Klaus safely out of the way and contained by Bonnie's spell, this was a golden opportunity that she wasn't going to miss. As the immortal stirred, Katherine ran over and grabbed the cure from his now loosened grip. With it safely tucked inside her pocket, she turned on her heels and left the dull room at vampire speed, leaving Bonnie and the Gilbert boy behind her.

Reaching the passageway, she suddenly collided with something tall and warm

and was knocked to the dusty ground, dazed. She sighed as she looked up to see a face she knew all too well. Damon Salvatore. For a few moments, they remained completely still, neither of them daring to move or make a sound.

"Long time no see", Damon broke the silence.

The vampire quickly jumped to her feet, dusting herself down. "Indeed, Salvatore".

"Care to explain why you're in such a hurry?", Damon asked, stepping closer to Katherine.

"No time", she snappily replied, trying to barge past the Salvatore. He put out his arm, stopping her.

They were interrupted as Stefan and Elena rushed towards them. As Damon left to retrieve Bonnie and Jeremy, Katherine and Elena came face to face once more, Elena still bleeding from their earlier fight. For a few moments they merely stared, then Elena lunged at Katherine, only to be held back by Stefan.

"What have you done!", Elena yelled, tears in her eyes. "You killed my brother!"

Katherine looked Elena up and down, raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Jeez, Gilbert, don't make such a big deal of it."

"Enough, Katherine", interrupted Stefan. Elena glared at her with deep hatred.

Another silence followed as eyes darted from one vampire to another. Katherine made a move to push past, but Elena and Stefan caught her by her arms and threw her to the ground. At that moment, Damon returned carrying Jeremy's limp body and helping a protesting Bonnie to walk.

"Hey, how are you doing?", Elena comforted Bonnie.

"I'm fine", said Bonnie, even though the wound in her back would suggest otherwise. "Let _go, _Damon!", she said angrily, tugging her arm away from his grip.

"Excuse me for helping", said Damon with widened eyes. He knew the witch was grateful, she just wouldn't show it. "On to more pressing matters, Silas' hands are empty. Someone else has the cure", the Salvatore announced. "Who could-"

"Her", interrupted Bonnie, pointing to the vampire in the middle of them all.

There followed a pause, before all eyes slowly moved to Katherine, who was still on the ground. She moved her hand defensively over her left pocket, keeping a wary eye on the Salvatore brothers. Damon nodded to Elena, handing Jeremy and Bonnie over to her. With one last glare at Katherine, she and Bonnie headed for the exit, leaving the brothers alone with Katherine.

"All right, hand it over", sighed Damon, holding his hand out as she got to her feet once more. Keeping her eyes fixed on the brothers blocking her path, she kept the cure securely in her pocket.

"Typical woman. Never handling it the easy way", smirked Damon as he and Stefan advanced towards the now concerned Katherine. She took a few paces back, but hit the wall with nowhere left to turn.

"Come on boys", the trapped vampire said sweetly. The brothers took no notice and moved closer still.

"Last chance. Hand it over", said Stefan in his usual serious tone. They were only a few feet away from her now.

All of a sudden, Katherine charged towards them in an attempt to slip past. To her dismay, the brothers caught hold of her arms, threw her back on the ground and held her down. She hissed and thrashed, but she knew they were stronger than her. Without hesitation, Damon reached into her pocket and retrieved the small box containing the cure. Keeping a tight hold on her, Stefan pulled her up and dragged her out of the passageway with Damon at his side.

"Let go of me, you have your cure", Katherine spat angrily.

"Do you really think you're getting away with what you did to Jeremy?", said Damon, looking at her with menacing eyes. With that, he grabbed her arm and helped Stefan drag her to the boats where Elena was waiting with Bonnie and the still motionless body of Jeremy.

"Where's Rebekah?", asked Stefan, looking around.

"Wait!", a voice called. Rebekah came into view, running towards them. Reaching the boats, she looked around at their occupants. "What did I miss?", she inquired, climbing into a boat of her own.

With Stefan and Damon pushing a protesting Katherine into a boat with them, they set off, headed for the Salvatore home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry, this is quite short. Anyway, please review!**

Consequences

Chapter 2

The peace of the empty Salvatore home was broken as the front door was pushed open. Damon wandered in first, carrying the unconscious Jeremy and assisting the still protesting Bonnie.

"Damon! I'm fine!", yelled the witch.

"Whatever, Bennett", replied Damon calmly, letting go of her arm. Stefan and Elena followed behind them, with Rebekah helping to drag an angry Katherine inside. She was still thrashing and cursing, though no one took much notice of her.

"I'll lay Jer on the couch for now", said Damon as he put down the young Gilbert boy carefully. The colour had completely drained from his face, but Damon kept quiet about it; Elena was already worried enough.

"Okay. But what are we going to do with her?", said Elena, casting a hate filled glare at Katherine, who returned it immediately.

"Put her in the basement. I'll deal with her later", spat Damon with narrowed eyes. Katherine remained silent, glowering at Damon as Stefan pulled her by the arm, leading her down to the basement.

Damon looked up at Elena from across the room. She was staring at the body of her brother, expressionless.

"Well, if I'm not needed here, I'll be going", Rebekah said smoothly as she spun around and left, closing the front door behind her: leaving Elena and Damon alone in the Salvatore living room.

"Hey, are you okay?", he asked in a gentle tone.

For several moments Elena remained silent. "I'm fine. He's fine. Everything's okay", she replied, breaking her gaze and beginning to pace, avoiding eye contact with Damon. "His ring will bring him back, it did before, it just takes time".

Damon strode over to Elena and held her shoulders, forcing her to stand still and look at him. "Don't worry, Elena. We can fix this", he comforted her, seeing the tears fill her reddened eyes once again. "There's nothing you can do for him now- just wait", he soothed, wiping away a solitary tear with his thumb.

"But, wait, Silas!", Elena became suddenly distressed.

"It's all right, he's only just been awoken, he'll take a few days to properly rise. Regardless, he's still on the island. Far away", Damon comforted, stroking her cheek gently.

"What are we going to do about Katherine?", Elena asked, composing herself and changing the subject.

"Don't stress about her, I have a plan. I'll handle it", Damon replied.

"No, I want to help. Whatever it is, I'm not letting her get away with what she's done", Elena spat.

"Fine", said Damon before leaning in and whispering something into Elena's ear. Nobody heard what he said, but it must have been good, because for the first time in a long time, Elena's face lit up and she smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

Consequences

Chapter 3

Rebekah whistled a cheery tune to herself as she closed the front door to her family home. She sighed, a smile spreading onto her face. Peace and quiet at last; no one around but herself. No irritatingly handsome Salvatores, no mischievous thieving vampires, and best of all, no whining little Elena. It was such a relief to be away from it all; to have some time to herself for once.

With a spring in her step, she made her way happily to the kitchen and poured herself a drink. Her heavy high heeled boots made loud clicking sounds against the old wooden floor as she paced with her glass grasped firmly in her ringed fingers. The silence of the room was music to her ears.

The new-found peace finally gave her a chance to think. Without warning, her mind wandered to Klaus. Where _was _he? Casting her mind back, she tried to recall her earlier conversation with Stefan. It came to mind clearly, and she remembered how he had told her that Klaus was trapped in the Gilbert house by one of Bonnie's spells. She remembered laughing hysterically at the thought of her brother, probably the most powerful creature in all of Mystic Falls, being trapped by a simple spell. A spell cast by Bonnie Bennett, at that. Abruptly, she stopped pacing as she realised that the Bennett witch had been unconscious, meaning Klaus would have broken through her spell and could be anywhere at any given moment. Her eyes widened as she tried to think of where her brother would go since he was free. She breathed a sigh of relief as she was sure he'd go straight to Bonnie: to make her pay for what she'd done to him. Satisfied, she leaned against the wall and enjoyed her beverage. Suddenly, she became aware that she wasn't alone. Sensing a presence, she whipped around and was soon met by a familiar face.

"Nik!?", she exclaimed as she set eyes on her brother who was staring blankly at her with empty eyes, standing in the doorway. "Ugh, what are you doing-"

"Kol's dead", he muttered, staring at the floor expressionlessly. His face looked abnormally pale and Rebekah could tell he was battling tears. She was stunned, and was sure that if her heart was still beating, it would be hammering and ready to burst from her chest.

"What?", she questioned, her voice unusually high as she furrowed her brow, confused. "No, he can't be, he's been out of town for ages..."

She stared at her brother in dismay as a tear silently rolled down his cheek. This was a real rarity and it chilled Rebekah to the bone; Niklaus hardly, if ever, cried. The glass slipped from Rebekah's hand and smashed to pieces, spilling the remainder of its contents all over the wooden floor. The sudden realisation of Kol's demise hit her at last, and she fell to the ground, weeping.

An immense wave of cold emptiness struck her as she lay there, her face sodden with tears. She'd dealt with great loss in her time, but this was too much for her to handle. "Who did it?!", she screamed between sobs. Klaus gazed at his broken sister quietly, his face forlorn and giving no reply. His heart was breaking for her, but he wouldn't show it. The emptiness inside Rebekah was soon replaced by a burning anger, and she rose to her feet, wiping away her tears with her sleeves.

"Who did it?", she inquired once more, her voice suddenly calm and unwavering. She marched over to stand in front of him and drew herself up so that they were almost equal in height. Klaus slowly looked up to her, his eyes reddened by tears. He replied to his sister with one solitary word. He uttered it so quietly, the sound that left his mouth was almost a whisper.

"Gilbert".


	4. Chapter 4

Consequences

Chapter 4

Biting her nails, Elena paced back and forth anxiously in the Salvatore living room. Minutes earlier, Damon had disappeared to the basement in a bid to see what was taking Stefan so long with Katherine. What was _taking _them so long?

Elena leaned against the wall with a sigh. The room was silent, but her vampire hearing picked up the smallest of sounds. Straining her ears, she tried with all her might to hear what Damon and Stefan were talking about downstairs. After all, it had to be something good; it was taking them long enough. For several moments she held her breath, hoping to catch a word of the Salvatore's conversation, but to no avail. They had already thought that she would try to listen in, and were speaking too quietly to be heard.

Annoyed, Elena cursed and began to pace once again. Her eyes wandered to Jeremy's lifeless body lying on the couch, covered by an old cream blanket. Swallowing hard as she felt the lump in her throat rise, she forced her eyes away. She racked her brain for something, _anything, _to think about; to distract her from her dying brother. A thought hit her like a bolt of lightning. Where was Bonnie? She had been here when they first arrived, so where had she gone? Elena shrugged and figured that she must have left at the same time as Rebekah.

Suddenly, she became aware of a dull sound in the room with her. Tick, tock, tick, tock. Stopping in her tracks and whipping around, she glared at the small wooden clock resting on the mantelpiece. Tick, tock, tick, tock. Never had such a small sound been so irritating. She swore it was mocking her; it almost had Damon's sarcastic tone. Just as Elena was about to rush over and smash the ornament into pieces, Damon re-appeared in the doorway.

"What took you so long?", Elena grumbled, trying to act calm.

Damon chuckled. "I see you've made friends with my clock".

"Not now, Damon", huffed Elena as she stomped across the room to stand only inches away from him. Even this close, Damon was still taller than her. "What were you and Stefan talking about?".

"None of your business", teased Damon with a wink.

"Damon!", Elena demanded as she stamped her foot. She was becoming more and more annoyed by the minute. Tick, tock, tick ,tock. She felt her blood begin to boil, and her face flushed a bright shade of scarlet.

Damon tried to stifle his laugh, but failed. "Come on, calm down. We were just discussing some brotherly issues. Primarily Stefan's, nothing vaguely interesting", he said, rolling his eyes. Elena stared up at him suspiciously.

"Sure, whatever", she mumbled, realising that arguing with Damon Salvatore was a pointless thing to do. Besides, there were more pressing matters at hand, particularly the Petrova locked up in the basement beneath their feet.

Their heated conversation was interrupted as Stefan wandered into the room.

"That should hold her for a while. Call me if you need me", he said as he pulled on his leather jacket, grabbed his keys and left through the front door.

"Where's he going in such a rush?", inquired Elena, tilting her head and looking up at Damon, confused. He smirked.

"None of your business", he repeated.

"So _that's _what you two were talking about!", she yelled.

"Seriously Elena, you have enough to worry about just now. Let the big vampires deal with this", he replied, patting her head gently.

She pulled away from him, casting a glare his way. "Shut up, Damon", she hissed. He only had a few inches on her, but always made sure she knew it.

"Shall we, then?", Damon prompted with a grin.

"Absolutely", smiled Elena, her anger fading away. Without further ado, they turned on their heels and made their way to the Salvatore basement.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry I took so long! Please review :)**

Consequences

Chapter 5

Bonnie tapped her foot impatiently as she awaited Caroline's presence. "Typical Care", she mumbled to herself. "Always late". Anxiously, she gazed down at her phone as it lit up with a new message.

"Sorry, late!"

Bonnie sighed. "I noticed", she grumbled, shoving her phone back into her pocket and folding her arms. Leaning against a lamppost in a daydream, she stared up at the sky; it had been sunny all day, but now it was beginning to get dull, with grey clouds rolling in. The street was almost completely empty; a young boy on his bicycle on the other side of the road was the only company Bonnie could see. For a while, she marvelled at his innocence; he knew nothing about the dangers in Mystic Falls. For a second, Bonnie wished she could trade places with him.

Her daydream was interrupted as Caroline rushed towards her. "I am _so _sorry, why is there always slow traffic whenever I need to be somewhere?" the flustered blonde spluttered.

"It's a mystery", Bonnie mumbled, rolling her eyes. Caroline flashed her a confused look. "It's okay, don't worry about it, you're here now", laughed Bonnie. Care really was a true blonde, that was for sure.

"Okay, so what was it you wanted to talk about in such a hurry?", Caroline inquired, her face suddenly serious. "Have I missed a lot while I was out of town?"

"Well, actually, yes. A lot", replied Bonnie. "Long story short, we have the cure".

"You WHAT?!", exclaimed Caroline, shocked. "You mean you went to the island!? Bonnie, don't you understand how dangerous that is? And there's Klaus, too, he would do anything to destroy the cure, you know that!"

"Relax, I didn't go alone. I went with Elena, Rebekah and the Salvatores. Although we did come across an unexpected individual..."

"Who? Silas?", Caroline almost whispered.

"No. Katherine", Bonnie said. She looked around again, a sudden wave of paranoia hitting her at the mention of the vampire's name.

"What? Why on Earth would Katherine be there?", Caroline hissed.

"Same reason we were", sighed Bonnie. "Anyway, _we _got the cure, and Damon and Elena have Katherine in the Salvatore basement. Oh, and-" Bonnie's heart sank as the mental image of Jeremy's lifeless body reappeared in her mind.

"And what?", Caroline prompted, tilting her head to the side.

"Well, Silas- he, he... he killed Jeremy", Bonnie whispered the final three words. Caroline gasped with widened eyes.

"Oh, God, Elena...", Caroline's gaze dropped to the ground.

"Relax, Damon's with her, it's okay. And we might be able to save him, we just don't know yet", Bonnie comforted. "Besides, Jer won't be the only dead one if we don't get onto more pressing matters".

"Like what?", asked Caroline, confused once again.

"Well, as you already guessed, Klaus is not happy that we have the cure. I cast a spell to contain him in the Gilbert living room, but I got hurt, my powers weakened and he escaped".

"Oh no, Bonnie, you're not safe here! He'll be looking for you, and he won't be pleased with you! Come on, we have to find a place for you to hide. What do you mean you got hurt? Are you all right?", Caroline tugged at the brunette's sleeve anxiously.

"Yeah, I cast a healing spell and I'm fine now. Caroline, he's an original, and a hybrid. Believe me, if he wants to find me, he will. There's nothing that can stop him. Except..." Bonnie looked up at her friend with a glimmer in her eye.

"What?", Caroline prompted. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she caught on to what Bonnie was implying. "Bonnie, _no!_", she insisted, standing bolt upright and folding her arms tightly. "Absolutely not! Besides, I feel nothing for Klaus". Her face reddened as she stumbled over his name. She tried her best to act completely calm, but her stomach was doing back flips.

"Yeah, sure", said Bonnie with a smirk. "But that's beside the point. I need you to convince him to leave us alone. Elena needs the cure, without it she'll turn off her humanity, and there will be no hope for her".

Caroline sighed deeply. Speechless, she looked around. It was beginning to get rather cold, and the sky was completely obscured by heavy, dark clouds. "Okay, I'll think of something, but just for Elena's sake. Nothing else".

Bonnie smiled. "Thanks, Care. You're the best!", she mused before pulling Caroline into a tight hug. The blonde chewed her bottom lip as she stood in Bonnie's embrace. Already she was wondering what she would say to Klaus. Would he even listen to her? Or would he be too angry for conversation? She hoped they would get to talk. She had missed him while she had been away, and she hated herself for it. Caroline was snapped out of her daydream as Bonnie released her and they linked arms, marching briskly down the street and out of sight.


	6. Chapter 6

Consequences

Chapter 6

A heavy silence pressed down upon Damon and Elena as they stood in the Salvatore basement, staring at the Petrova vampire chained to the stone wall. For several moments they remained completely still, exchanging hate-filled glares through steely eyes. Finally, Katherine broke the stillness.

"Well, this is cosy".

Smirking, Damon advanced slowly towards her. Elena remained glued to the spot, her eyes blank, deep in thought. She had not said a word since she had entered the basement and laid eyes on Katherine.

"Are we going to sit around all day or get down to business?", the Petrova hissed with narrowed eyes. Standing only a few inches away from her, Damon stopped.

"I know you. I know how evil you can be. But what you did to Jeremy was just downright cruel. I never thought you would stoop that low", he spat at her.

Katherine shifted her gaze to Elena, their eyes locking immediately. "Life's cruel", she uttered, grinning and breaking their stare.

"You don't know life", Elena replied in a dull tone, staring into the shadows, her expression blank. Her dark hair flowed limply over her shoulders and her face was chalky white. She remained perfectly still.

"And I have no desire to", Katherine said coolly, tipping her head to the side. Her eyes suddenly darted to Damon as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the small black box he had taken from her back on the island. A box everyone recognised. The cure.

Her gaze locked onto the box, Katherine's eyes widened. With a menacing glint in his icy blues, Damon leaned in to whisper in the vampire's ear.

"Maybe as a human you'll show a little more compassion".

Damon grinned as he watched the colour drain from Katherine's face. Her jaw dropped and she fumbled over her words, tugging at her chains. Never before had he seen her so panicked.

"You wouldn't...", she whispered.

"Oh, but I would. Although I think there's someone else who would enjoy it so much more", he replied, striding over to place the cure gently into Elena's hands. Silently, she looked up at Damon. He gave her a reassuring nod, then turned on his heels and left the basement, closing the heavy metal door behind him. The air was thick with tension as the two vampires stared at one another, both of them pale with anticipation. Several moments passed before Katherine finally spoke.

"You don't have the guts, Gilbert", she growled, breaking into a smile. "Just like your brother. Always the humble one. You would never-"

"Shut up", Elena interrupted, shuffling closer.

"Look at you. Little innocent Elena's taken a drink from the bravery cup", Katherine uttered with an air of confidence.

Elena moved closer still, ignoring the Petrova's comment. "Believe me, every inch of me wants to ram this cure down your pathetic throat. I would love to see your humanity consume you, to watch you try to cope with the guilt of all you've done", she stated boldly.

"So why don't you?", Katherine challenged.

"Because I know what it's like to feel alone", Elena mumbled.

"What? Come on Gilbert, cut the sob stories and prove yourself."

Elena stared at the ground for a few minutes before striding quickly towards the vampire. Struggling with her chains, Katherine recoiled and braced herself. Suddenly, Elena stopped, only inches away. Slowly, she bent down to Katherine's eye level.

"No", she spat at the Petrova. "I know what it's like when no one is willing to give you a second chance", she continued, unlocking the chains and allowing Katherine to stand. "So I'm giving you yours. Use it well."

Slowly, Katherine's confused expression turned into a wide grin. "You're a fool, Gilbert", she mused.

"Maybe", Elena replied, shrugging. "But at least I'm not heartless."

Elena stepped aside and with one final glare, Katherine left the basement and exited through the front door of the Salvatore home at vampire speed. Sighing, Elena placed the cure carefully in her pocket and made her way back up the steps. Suddenly she stopped as she noticed Damon standing at the top, staring at her.

"Damon, I had to, I couldn't just-"

"I know", Damon interrupted with a faint smile. When she had climbed the last few steps, he pulled her into a tight hug.

"So what _were _you and Stefan talking about down there?", Elena inquired curiously.

"We knew you wouldn't cure Katherine. Stefan's out there keeping an eye on her, just to make sure she doesn't cause any more damage", he replied, tapping Elena on the nose gently as she looked up at him.

Smiling,she reached into her pocket and handed the cure to Damon. "It's safer in your hands", she muttered. "Klaus is probably already on his way here to destroy it. And _me_", she said, her eyes widening in realisation.

"Relax, Klaus is being... dealt with", Damon soothed.

"Dealt with? By who?", asked Elena, confused.

"Three guesses. A certain blonde that Bonnie went to convince."

"Care", breathed Elena, a smile spreading across her face. "Lets hope she can...convince him"...


	7. Chapter 7

Consequences

Chapter 7

Caroline drew a deep breath and sighed heavily as she and Bonnie approached the street where Klaus lived and his home came into view.

"Nervous?", teased Bonnie, nudging her friend's shoulder playfully.

"No, shut up", Caroline hissed back, much to Bonnie's amusement. "I'm doing this for _Elena._ There's no way I could let Klaus destroy the cure- Elena needs it. This is purely for the benefit of Elena. No feelings involved", Caroline trailed off.

"Of course", Bonnie nodded, her words dripping with sarcasm.

As they reached the path leading to the porch of the grand Mikaelson home, they came to a halt and Bonnie turned to face Caroline. "This is a great thing you're doing for Elena. Thanks Care, you're a great friend and we are lucky to have you", she said sincerely before pulling her friend into a warm hug.

Caroline sighed. "Thanks. I just hope it's worth it. This _better _work."

Bonnie flashed her a reassuring smile before turning away and walking briskly down the street and out of view, leaving Caroline alone and staring at the house that stood before her. The street around her was silent and a cold wind blew, the sky now completely covered in dark clouds threatening to burst open at any moment.

"Lets do this", Caroline whispered to herself as she set off down the dusty path towards the porch, a faint rumble of thunder in the distance. The air was humid and warm, but somehow she was shivering. Slowly, she climbed the steps and approached the front door. With her heart pounding in her chest, she reached out, taking a deep breath, and knocked on the door. There came no movement from inside, much to Caroline's annoyance. As she drew a breath, about to call Klaus' name, a voice came from within the house.

"Come in, Caroline."

Immediately, Caroline turned the brass handle and stepped into the Mikaelson home. The immaculately polished floors and the grand twisting staircase faced her as she let the heavy doors swing shut behind her.

"Klaus? Where are you?", she called out, wandering into the next room. Suddenly, the dull room was illuminated by a flash of lightning from outside. Caroline gasped as it revealed a dark silhouette a few feet away from her.

"Klaus?", she said softly, her voice shaking.

"What brings you here at this hour?", Klaus inquired, his voice unusually cold. Rain began to rattle at the windows, making his voice difficult to make out.

"I have to talk to you", Caroline said in a serious tone. Klaus remained silent.

"Look, I know you're upset about Kol, but you _have _to let Elena keep the cure. She's already lost Jeremy, she needs to be human, to have emotion."

"And why exactly should I care about what is best for Elena?", Klaus said in a dull tone.

"Because I do", Caroline almost whispered.

Without saying a word, Klaus pushed past her and left through the front door. At vampire speed, Caroline ran after him and blocked his way halfway down the path. Rain poured down on top of them, making Caroline's hair flatten and stick to her face.

"Klaus, please!"

"You don't understand, Caroline!", Klaus yelled, his face reddening with frustration.

"Maybe I don't have to", Caroline said quietly, stepping closer to him. They were only a few inches away from each other now, and Caroline could feel Klaus' hot breath on her face. For several moments they stared into each other's eyes, Caroline silently pleading with him to leave Elena alone. Klaus eventually spoke.

"Fine. For _you._"

Caroline let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Klaus."

Klaus looked her up and down, examining her sodden summer dress. The rain was still pounding down around them.

"You're drenched, my love. Come back inside and sit by the fire", he said, gesturing to the front door which lay wide open.

"I'd love to but I should go help Elena-"

"No, no, I insist", Klaus said calmly as he put his arm around the soaking blonde and led her back up the path.

"Well, umm, okay. I guess I can stay, but only for a while", Caroline replied, her voice shaking as she shivered. She was very aware of Klaus' arm around her shoulder. He felt so warm against her freezing skin. Neither of them said a word as they climbed the steps once again and entered the Mikaelson home, closing the front door behind them.


	8. Chapter 8

Consequences

Chapter 8

The fire crackled softly as Caroline and Klaus sat in front of it, gazing carelessly into each other's eyes. It was now completely dark outside, the fire casting dancing shadows around the room. Klaus had given Caroline an old shirt of his to wear while her clothes dried by the fire side. It was much too big for her and looked more like a dress, but she didn't mind. Her hair was beginning to dry off too, and had become unruly and frizzy.

"Thank you", Caroline broke the silence. Her eyes reflected the fire, her face glowing. All of her make up had been washed off by the rain.

Klaus looked at her inquisitively. "For what, my love?", he asked, raising an eyebrow. His hair had dried long ago, and his chest was warm from the fire as his shirt dried beside Caroline's clothes.

"You know. For forgiving Elena, and letting her keep the cure. For listening to me. And, you know, for this beautiful shirt", she added and they broke into laughter.

"Well in that case, you're very welcome", he replied with a smile. Caroline's stomach was doing back flips; she had never felt so happy, so relaxed in her entire life. It had stopped raining, and the vintage rug felt warm and welcoming as she and Klaus sat upon it. Suddenly, her expression changed and her eyes clouded over. What was she doing? This was _Klaus._ He's evil, heartless, a monster who's killed more innocent people than she could count. But for some reason none of that mattered to her. With him, a cold hearted murderer, she felt safer than she'd ever felt before.

"Don't worry, love", Klaus said, his voice almost a whisper as he reached out and stroked her cheek gently. To Caroline's surprise, his eye's were welled up with tears. "You know I wouldn't hurt you."

Caroline's jaw dropped as she fumbled for words, but before she knew it, Klaus' lips collided with hers. Never before had she felt so much passion, her troubles crumbling away as she leaned into his embrace. Pulling away, they stared into each other's eyes, his breath caressing her face and their noses touching ever so slightly.

Caroline grinned, looking down and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Whatever you do, don't tell-"

"Caroline?!", she was cut off as the front door flew open and Bonnie rushed inside. "Caroline, where are you!?" Before Caroline had a chance to move away from Klaus' arms, the Bennett witch ran into the room and stopped in her tracks.

"Bonnie!", Caroline yelled, sitting upright with widened eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been trying to call you for an hour! I thought something had..." Bonnie trailed off as she noticed the pile of now perfectly dry clothes that lay beside them.

"Oh."

"Oh my God", Caroline said, standing up and hurriedly gathering up her clothes. "Bonnie, I swear, it's not what it looks like", she stuttered.

"Sure", Bonnie smiled, taking a few steps back. "As long as you're safe, Care. Although when you're ready, I need a word with you at the Salvatore mansion." Without further ado, she turned around and left through the front door, closing it gently behind her.

Caroline sighed as she threw on her clothes. When she was fully dressed, she hesitantly reached out to hand Klaus his shirt.

"Keep it, sweetheart", he said softly, seeing the look on her face.

Caroline looked up at him and smiled, a glint in her eyes. "Thank you. For everything", she said before stuffing the shirt into her bag and exiting through the front door, leaving Klaus alone in his empty living room, smiling. Happy.


	9. Chapter 9

Consequences

Chapter 9

Darkness loomed as Caroline shuffled along the path towards the Salvatore home. Lights flickered in the windows and she could clearly make out the dark silhouettes of her friends pacing inside.

Caroline paused as she reached the front door. She desperately hoped that Bonnie hadn't told anyone about her time with Klaus. She would never hear the end of it- especially not from Damon. Biting her lip nervously, she turned the handle and stepped into the house.

Gasping, Caroline stumbled a few steps back, dropping her bag as she did so. She was shocked to be greeted not by a simple 'hello', but by a round of a round of applause from Bonnie, Stefan and, to Caroline's despair, Damon.

"Hello to you too", she smiled warily as she bent down and picked up her bag from the floor.

"Thank you, Caroline", Stefan chipped in, his smile fading to his usual serious brooding face. "What you've done for Elena was big of you, and we all appreciate that".

Caroline let out a sigh of relief at Stefan's words. From the look of things Bonnie hadn't said anything about what she saw at Klaus'.

"Um, don't mention it", she replied, smiling and wandering towards them, pushing the front door shut as she did so. "Where's Elena?"

"Upstairs, with Jeremy", Stefan stated. "She hasn't left his side in hours. She's still..." Stefan trailed off, apparently slipping into some sort of daydream.

"Hoping", Damon finished for his brother, flashing a little half smile in Caroline's direction.

"Okay, can I go up to see her?", the blonde inquired gently.

"Not yet, we have something else to ask of you", Bonnie muttered, stroking Caroline's arm.

"Sure, anything. If it will save Elena, I'm up for it."

"It turns out that the cure won't work on its own. It needs another component in order to turn someone human again", Stefan awoke from his daydream. Caroline looked around at everyone, confused.

"The moonstone", Bonnie announced.

"The problem being that we don't have it", Damon mused. "But we know who does."

Caroline was silent for a moment, then sighed. "Katherine."

"Yes", Stefan breathed, staring down at the floor.

"But why do you need _me _to get it? Can't one of you go? You know her much better than I do", she said, confused.

"Damon has to stay with Elena. If she's still sired, he's the only one who can help her if she tries to do anything stupid."

"I need to stay here to do a locator spell on Katherine. That way while you're looking for the moonstone I can tell you if she's close", Bonnie added.

"And Stefan has to stay and guard Bonnie, in case Katherine comes a-calling. Or so he says. Personally I just don't think he trusts me with Elena", Damon threw a glare at his brother.

"Okay, fine, where do I look?", said Caroline, shaking her head.

"She has a house not far from the Wickery Bridge", Stefan replied, pulling out a photograph and showing it to Caroline. "Keep your mobile on, the moonstone should be in a dresser drawer in her bedroom."

"Upstairs, first door on the left", Damon chipped in, winking.

"Don't worry, I'll let you know if she's near, you'll have time to get out. Anyway, I think Mystic Falls is the last place she'll want to be right now, so you should be completely safe", Bonnie reassured her friend.

With a sigh, Caroline walked towards the front door again, turning to face the trio as she reached it. "For Elena", she said sincerely.

"Absolutely", Stefan nodded.

Just as she was about to leave, Damon called after her.

"Oh, and Caroline, nice shirt", he teased with another wink and half smile, staring down at the material sticking out of her bag. Hurriedly stuffing it back in, her face turned a bright shade of scarlet.

"Shut up, Damon", she stuttered as he and Stefan broke into laughter.

"Good luck, Caroline", Stefan grinned as she whipped around and left through the front door.


	10. Chapter 10

Consequences

Chapter 10

Caroline's hands were trembling as she fumbled with her phone, slowly making her way up the beaten path leading to an old and crumbling house, surrounded by trees with the Wickery Bridge less than a mile away. The sound of the running water filled Caroline's ears, darkness still lingering with purple smudges beginning to appear in the sky. Bonnie had reassured her in numerous text messages that Katherine wasn't even in town, but she still shook violently as she reached out and tried the front door. Stefan had told her it would be left open, and to her surprise, it was.

As it creaked open, a dull and unwelcoming foyer unfolded before Caroline. Crystal chandeliers, marble floors and expensive vases lay covered in dust ridden cobwebs and centuries of neglect. The large stained glass window on the opposing wall was partially covered by a faded red curtain, casting eerie shadows all around. What had once been a house of grand stature seemed to have slipped in standards somewhat, Caroline thought to herself. Stepping inside, she stuffed her phone into her back pocket and closed the front door behind her. The room fell into total darkness, but her vampire vision allowed her to see her path to the splintered wooden staircase.

Tentatively, she crept up the steps as they creaked loudly beneath her feet. "First door on the left", she repeated Damon's words under her breath as she reached the top of the staircase. A long, dark hallway lay in front of her, the house falling into a deafening silence as she drew to a halt. She could just make out a door through the gloom, a few feet away on the left hand wall. Shuffling towards it, Caroline whined as she spotted the enormous cobweb stretched across the door handle. Taking a deep breath, she slowly reached out and prodded the web with the tip of her finger. Squealing, she jumped back as the massive hairy spider darted out from the shadows, revealing its self. Wiping her finger on her jacket, Caroline pushed the door open with her foot and strode inside the bedroom.

An old four-poster bed took up most of the room, it's blankets covered in dirt and posts artfully draped with more silky cobwebs. There were only two other items in the room; a wooden rocking chair by the door and a small dresser over by the grime- coated window. There came a sudden bang from downstairs, startling Caroline. What was that? The door? It couldn't be; Bonnie would have let her know if anyone was coming. It must have been the wind, she reassured herself. Shivering, Caroline made her way toward the dresser and pulled out her phone from her pocket.

"In room. See dresser", she typed to Stefan. Reaching out, she opened the drawer with a clammy hand and fumbled around inside it, not daring to look for fear of what other spiders may dwell inside. Pulling out the drawer's contents, she placed them on top of the dresser and sorted through them. Some old photographs of the Salvatore brothers made Caroline giggle. Aside from those there were only a few other items on the dresser: a letter in Katherine's handwriting, a jewel encrusted hairbrush and something which Caroline was glad to see. The moonstone. Pocketing the precious stone, Caroline's phone buzzed loudly on the dresser. A message from Bonnie lit up the screen, illuminating the dark room.

"Katherine. Get out, NOW."

Frozen in fear, Caroline held her breath as she heard quiet laughter from the corner of the room. Slowly, she turned around with widened eyes to see Katherine emerging from a dark corner of the room.

"What could you possibly want with my moonstone?", the Petrova asked sarcastically. "Let me guess. It has something to do with Elena."

"Maybe it has, what's it to you?", Caroline's voice broke as she forced the words from her dry mouth.

"It's _my _moonstone, now hand it over", came the reply from the shadows.

"N-n-no", Caroline stuttered, looking around for a way to escape.

"I hoped you'd say that", Katherine uttered, and she lunged at Caroline.

Bracing herself, Caroline drew her hands up and shielded her face, but to her surprise was not struck by anything. Lowering her hands, she saw, much to her delight, Katherine crouched against the wall with Klaus standing above her. Blood dripped from her nose as she rose to her feet, trembling at the sight of the hybrid she feared most.

"Go", Klaus hissed at her, and she didn't hesitate to dash out of the house at vampire speed, leaving Caroline alone with him.


	11. Chapter 11

Consequences

Chapter 11

"Are you all right?", Klaus broke the silence. Caroline was lost for words, and rushed forwards into his arms.

"How did you know I was here?", she asked quietly, her face buried in his t-shirt. The smell of his aftershave overwhelmed her, his breath in her ear.

"I was listening outside the Salvatore house, and I followed you here. I've been watching."

"Why?", Caroline inquired, although she already knew the answer.

"I don't trust Katherine, and I knew there was no way Bonnie's spell could detect her before she got to you. I wasn't going to sit by and let her hurt you", he trailed off.

"Lets get out of here", Caroline changed the subject, and they left the bedroom and made their way back down the aged staircase. Katherine had left the door wide open, and the morning tunes of birds drifted in. As they stepped outside, Caroline drew her phone from her pocket and typed a quick message to Bonnie.

"I'm okay. Klaus."

The sky had now turned a warming shade of orange and the sun was beginning to rise in the distance.

"Follow me", Klaus said as he took Caroline's hand and lead her through the trees. Twigs crunched under their feet and woodland creatures scurried around them.

"Where are we going?", Caroline laughed.

"Here", Klaus replied as they reached a clearing by the river, beautifully lit by the rising sun. Klaus motioned for her to sit beside him on a moss- covered log, so she did.

"Why did you bring me here?", she asked gently.

"I want you to promise me something", Klaus took her hand as he spoke.

"What's that?"

"I want you to promise me that you won't do anything like that again. No matter what they tell you, you let me do the dirty work. If I hadn't followed you here today, goodness knows what Katherine would have done to you. I'd hate to see you hurt like that", Klaus said softly. "Promise me."

Caroline laughed. "Okay, I promise."

"Good. Katherine's scary, but not as scary as those spiders", the hybrid teased.

"You saw that!?", Caroline's face reddened at the thought of Klaus seeing her like that.

"You know, vampires are fully capable of killing spiders", he laughed.

Caroline's phone buzzed once again, interrupting their conversation. It was a reply from Bonnie, a message of nothing more than a winking face.

"We should be going. It looks like your friends are getting anxious", Klaus said, helping her to stand up. Slowly, they trudged back through the trees. Before they reached the edge of the forest, Caroline stopped.

"Klaus."

"What is it, love?", he replied gently.

"Thank you for today."

"Don't mention it sweetheart."

"No, you're right, I should never have been so st-"

Caroline's sentence was brought to a halt as Klaus' arms pulled her in and their lips locked into a passionate kiss, the sunlight creeping through the branches and lighting up their faces with a warming glow. Slowly, they separated, their noses touching ever so slightly.

"Don't mention it."


	12. Chapter 12

_**Hey guys, thanks for reading! This will be the end of this story, but stay tuned to me- I have a new story coming soon!**_

_**Thanks again**_

_**~MissOriginalVampire**_

Consequences

Chapter 12 (final)

The sun had risen high into the perfectly blue sky as Caroline and Klaus neared the path to the Salvatore house they knew all too well. The air was peaceful with a comforting breeze, a few leaves tumbling gracefully along the pavement beside them. They hadn't spoken very much on their walk; they didn't need to. After spending a substantial amount of time together they had developed a certain connection which required no words.

"I guess this is it", said Caroline as they strolled half way up the path and came to a halt.

"It doesn't have to be", Klaus replied, taking her hand after a moment of silence.

"For now", Caroline nodded as she leaned in to hug him. Feeling the moonstone weighing down her pocket, she pulled away and smiled at him. His eyes twinkled in the sun as he flashed her a small grin in return. Without further ado, she turned around and made her way towards the porch. Approaching the wooden steps, she suddenly whipped back around. "Hey Klaus, thank-". He was gone.

"Don't mention it", she whispered under her breath. Wandering back up the steps, she pulled the moonstone out of her pocket. The door was opened for her by Stefan, and she stepped inside.

"I got it", she said, holding up the moonstone for him to see. Before Stefan had the chance to say anything back, Bonnie rushed into the hallway and threw herself onto Caroline.

"Thank God you're okay!" the witch yelled as Caroline laughed and hugged her friend back. "I would've warned you sooner but she was too fast and-"

"Calm down, I'm fine", Caroline giggled as she hushed Bonnie's panic.

"And I'm glad", Bonnie relaxed and stepped back. "But how...?"

"Klaus", Damon answered for her as he descended the stairs to join the conversation.

"Uh, yes actually", Caroline stuttered.

"How'd I guess", Damon smirked.

"Shut up Damon", she spat, tossing the moonstone to Bonnie and dropping her bag onto the floor. "How's Elena?"

"How do you think?", Damon retorted.

Caroline nodded. It was killing her to see her best friend this way. Everyone would struggle with the loss of Jeremy, but Elena just might lose it completely. After all, he was the only family she had left. "Is this spell going to work?", she asked Bonnie.

"I hope so", she forced a small smile.

"All we can do is hope", Stefan said, walking into the living room with Damon and Bonnie. "Are you coming?", he called back to Caroline.

"Just a minute", she replied. As Stefan disappeared round the corner, she bent down to retrieve her phone from her bag. Rummaging around, she caught sight of a crumpled piece of material stuffed down the side. Pulling it out, she held it tight to her chest, closed her eyes and smiled.


End file.
